City on a Hill delays freshman academy one week

NEW BEDFORD — The City on a Hill Charter Public School has postponed its freshman academy for one week because a needed building permit wasn't received until Friday night, officials said.

JONATHAN CARVALHO

NEW BEDFORD — The City on a Hill Charter Public School has postponed its freshman academy for one week because a needed building permit wasn't received until Friday night, officials said.

Parents of students received phone calls informing them that the date would be delayed from Monday, Aug. 11, to Monday, Aug. 18, according to Kristie Loftus, the school's director of development and community relations.

That's because of a problem with a certificate of inspection for its temporary site at Fisher College at 777 Church St., Loftus said. The school plans to locate downtown at the former ArtWorks! building on Acushnet Avenue, where the school has a five-year lease.

The applicant for the certificate was not the school itself but rather the owner of the Fisher College building, Loftus said, adding that school officials did ultimately receive the certificate at about 5:30 p.m. Friday.

The owner of the building is listed on the city assessor's website as Milhench, Inc. A spokeswoman for Fisher College did not return a phone call seeking comment.

According to Elizabeth Treadup Pio, the city's public information officer, an occupancy permit was issued by the city Building Department for the Fisher College location after receiving state approval after 3 p.m. Friday.

Loftus said an addendum to a lease was required for the permit and that school officials were not notified until Thursday, Aug. 7, and that the school provided the addendum to the state later that day.

She said it "is to be determined" as to whether the academy, originally slated for two weeks, will now last one week.

Cora Peirce of New Bedford, whose daughter Sophia will be a freshman at City on a Hill, said she was "caught off guard" by the last-minute announcement, and that her daughter is ready for the start of school.